Arjun Sharma, a youth from Panchkula, was arrested early Saturday after allegedly murdering his cousin, Akash Sharma, at a hotel in Shimla on Friday, police confirmed.
According to Himachal Pradesh Police, Arjun was traced and apprehended from the outskirts of Panchkula using a combination of technical surveillance, human intelligence, and coordinated efforts by multiple police teams. The operation was carried out by Shimla Police with support from local authorities.
Arjun, a resident of Sector 10, Panchkula, allegedly slit the throat of Akash Sharma, who lived in Sector 26, Chandigarh, at Hotel Grand Majestic near Dhalli Tunnel. The cousins, both aged 22–23 years, had checked into the hotel on June 11 at 8:20 pm to celebrate a birthday.
During the early hours of June 13, an argument reportedly escalated, and Arjun allegedly attacked Akash with a knife and a beer bottle before fleeing the hotel on his motorcycle.
The murder came to light when Arjun confessed to his family, who alerted the hotel receptionist. Using the master key, hotel staff discovered Akash’s body on the bed around 10 am on Friday.
A forensic team collected evidence from the hotel room as the police launched a search for the accused.
